Cross worn by late pope Benedict stolen from church in Germany

A cross that former pope Benedict XVI used to wear on his chest has been stolen from a church in southern Germany where it was on display, police said Tuesday.

The pectoral cross was in a case in the wall of St. Oswald's church in Traunstein, in the state of Bavaria, where the late Benedict spent his adolescent years.

Thieves broke the case and took the cross, which the former pope had bequeathed to the parish, between 11:45 am (0945 GMT) and 5:00 pm (1500 GMT) on Monday.

"For the Catholic Church, the value of this sacred object cannot be quantified," Bavarian police said in a statement.

The perpetrators, whose identities are unknown, also broke into the cash register of a magazine stand and stole the money inside, the police said.

Police officials are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously around the church on Monday to share the information.

Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in six centuries to step down as head of the Catholic Church, died on31 December, 2022,aged 95 after a long period of declining health.

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